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Treatment improves serotonin transporter binding and reduces binge eating

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Abstract

Rationale

Serotonin (5-HT) is involved in the control of eating behaviour by inhibiting food intake. Obese women with binge-eating disorder (OB-BED) were recently found to have reduced 5-HT transporter binding.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a successful treatment on 5-HT transporters in OB-BED.

Methods

The 5-HT transporter binding of seven OB-BED was measured by single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), by using iodine-123-labelled nor-β-CIT as a tracer, before treatment and after successful treatment, when the OB-BED were asymptomatic. Treatment consisted of group psychotherapy and fluoxetine medication. The control subjects, six obese women without eating disorders, were also studied twice by using SPECT.

Results

The 5-HT transporter binding of the symptomatically recovered OB-BED increased significantly (24±22%) after treatment, whereas in the control group, binding remained unchanged.

Conclusions

The results tentatively suggest that 5-HT transporter binding in OB-BED is an adaptive mechanism, which can be affected by treatment. Furthermore, there seems to be a link between improved 5-HT transporter binding and reduced binge eating.

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Acknowledgements

The study was supported by grants from the Kuopio University Hospital (EVO-5136), the Finnish Cultural Foundation (00011067) and the Academy of Finland, Research Council for Health (28327). The authors thank the personnel of the Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Nutrition, University of Kuopio and Kuopio University Hospital, 70211, Kuopio, Finland

    Liisa I. Tammela, Leila J. Karhunen & Matti Uusitupa

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Helsinki University Central Hospital, 00029, Helsinki, Finland

    Aila Rissanen, Hannu Naukkarinen & Jari Tiihonen

  3. Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Kuopio and Kuopio University Hospital, 70210, Kuopio, Finland

    Jyrki T. Kuikka, Kim A. Bergström & Esko Vanninen

  4. Department of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Kuopio and Niuvanniemi Hospital, 70240, Kuopio, Finland

    Eila Repo-Tiihonen

Authors
  1. Liisa I. Tammela
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  2. Aila Rissanen
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  3. Jyrki T. Kuikka
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  4. Leila J. Karhunen
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  5. Kim A. Bergström
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  6. Eila Repo-Tiihonen
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  7. Hannu Naukkarinen
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  8. Esko Vanninen
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  9. Jari Tiihonen
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  10. Matti Uusitupa
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Liisa I. Tammela.

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Tammela, L.I., Rissanen, A., Kuikka, J.T. et al. Treatment improves serotonin transporter binding and reduces binge eating. Psychopharmacology 170, 89–93 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-003-1519-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-003-1519-6

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